Chapter 2

“Well then,” she says, “there are some matters we need to see to, but before that, Mr. Cranell, I have a question.” “Y-yes?” “We can keep things formal if you’d like, but…would you mind if I called you Bell?” She squeezes the papers in her arms, bringing her face closer and closer to mine, wearing a friendly smile. I stand there like a trapped animal, and after a moment, I rapidly shake my head to show my agreement. “Heh-heh. Thank you. We’ll be working together from now on, so it’ll be nice to keep things casual. It’s a pleasure to be working with you, Bell.” “The pleasure’s all mine! E-erm…should I call you Ms. Tulle?” “Eina’s fine.” She extends a hand, which I timidly shake as we exchange smiles. “Here is your provided shortsword and a set of light armor,” Eina says as she presents a cloth bag. “I think the size should be right, but let me know if it feels too big or too small, okay? We can still exchange it for you free of charge if we do it before you start using it.” “Th-thank you.” I requested these items yesterday on my application. I only just founded Hestia Familia with my goddess the other day, and I don’t have the money to buy my own set. Luckily for penniless adventurers like me, the Guild provides starting equipment. Since the equipment has to be paid off eventually, I decided to go with the cheapest set. This sack contains my livelihood from now on. I take it from Eina’s hands and hold on to it tightly. “Take this as well. A backpack and a leg holster.” “Erm…do I have to pay these off as well?” “Well…to be honest, they’re not technically part of the set you ordered, but…your familia is new, and these odds and ends were just gathering dust in the warehouse. Consider them a gift from me, okay?” She puts a finger to her lips and smiles. It seems like she’s looking out for me. Part of me wants to refuse, but I can’t turn down anything that will give me an edge in the Dungeon. Not to mention, Miss Eina did this out of consideration for me. I graciously accept. With all these adventurer’s necessities now in my possession, I start to get a little excited. What a kind and generous person Miss Eina is! I can’t help but feel indebted to her for everything she’s doing for me. “That’s everything I wanted to give you,” she says. “Now it’s time for my Dungeon lessons.” “Lessons?” I stare at her across the table. Eina readjusts her spectacles. “That’s right. You’ll be risking your life out there, so you’ll need to learn all about the Dungeon and the monsters you’ll encounter there. And by the way, this part isn’t optional.” When she says that, Eina’s voice takes on a firm edge. I already know why. The Dungeon is a dangerous place where all kinds of vicious creatures roam. To go in there without the proper knowledge would be asking to get myself killed. What I learn from Miss Eina might very well spell the difference between life and death. “Does the Guild do this for all new adventurers?” “Not exactly. It’s just something I choose to do for those in my care. You never know when a piece of knowledge will save your life.” I can tell how much she cares. She wants to do everything she can to make sure adventurers like me don’t die out there. It’s a good thing she’s the one looking after me. “Okay. Teach me your ways, Miss Eina!” “Thank you, Bell. Let’s begin.” Seemingly pleased by my response, Eina opens her bag. She pulls out three books and drops them on the table. Each one is thicker than any book I’ve ever seen in my life. “For today, you only have to go through these.” “…Huh?” “Don’t worry. We should be able to finish by midnight.” “…Huh?” “Let’s get started, shall we?” I’ll only realize this later, but Miss Eina is notorious in the Guild for being incredibly demanding. She cares so much about her adventurers’ well-being that she’ll do whatever it takes to increase their odds of survival. That’s why she ever so kindly drills her vast knowledge into her students until they shed tears of gratitude. As a result, adventurers affectionately call this half-elf’s coursework the Fairy’s Break—mostly because of what it does to people’s spirits. “Pop quiz. What are the combat capabilities of a war shadow?” “Erm…high attack, high speed…?” “You forgot defense, which is roughly comparable to that of a goblin or a kobold. Once again, from the top.” “Uuungh…” My life as an adventurer has only just begun…